Case
ZenRobotics smart robots sort waste and make sure that recycled material is as pure as possible. According to Tuuli Mäkelä, Head of Marketing (2020-2022) at ZenRobotics, the circular economy goals of states and companies have helped ZenRobotics grow into an international pioneer.
Case type
Machinery and equipment, Resource recovery
Published
6.9.2021
Update: ZenRobotics was acquired by Terex in August 2022.
“In 2007, researchers at Aalto University were developing artificial intelligence and discussing the possibilities for commercialising it. They were surprised to find out how little automation was used in waste sorting.
The researchers saw a huge opportunity in the automation of waste sorting and founded ZenRobotics. It is the first company in the world to use artificial intelligence in waste sorting. We manufacture robots that use artificial intelligence and other recognition technologies to identify and sort waste fractions from household, industrial, and construction and demolition waste.
This way we can significantly reduce the amount of raw material going to waste. Artificial intelligence makes the sorting more efficient and valuable materials can be better recovered from the waste stream. In addition, the automation of sorting will improve employees’ working conditions as they will be able to focus on other tasks in the recycling centre instead of sorting, which is heavy work and often dangerous.
The first years of ZenRobotics were spent on product development and finding customers. For example, we learned that it is best to manufacture the robots ourselves so that they will endure the harsh conditions in the waste sorting centre.
Now, 10 years later, we are in a very interesting situation. The demand for robotic sorters only started to increase a few years ago when the sustainability goals, among other things, started to boost the mainstreaming of the circular economy. Large consumer brands such as Coca-Cola and Lidl have shown interest in the development of recycling systems in the past few years. The markets are growing all the time and our aim is to get the largest possible share of the demand.
So far, our robots only work in the final stage of waste processing, but I believe that the whole waste-management process will be automated in the future. With the help of digitisation, it is possible to follow a product’s journey from manufacture to the consumer and to sorting, which makes it easier to predict the waste flows.
As a whole, the opportunities for digitisation to boost the circular economy are huge.”
“We are happy that our partner Zen Robotics continues to develop the waste industry with us in our new recycling centre. We firmly believe that the centre and its AI robots are making history in recycling. In the hyper-modern facility the quality of recycling can rise to the next level.”
Johan Mild, CEO, Remeo Oy
“The company advances recycling and raw material collection with its technological know-how/abilities. Steadily impressive growth and development in the background.”
Panel of experts
This example was picked from the list of Most interesting companies in the circular economy in Finland 2.1, published by Sitra in September 2021. The list was built to encourage Finnish companies to develop smart business in the circular economy.